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Trendy local neighbourhood restaurant in Notting Hill, serving simple food with the emphasis on the quality of ingredients used, with good steak and daily fresh fish. Laid back service with plenty of atmosphere.

Côte is a chain of medium priced brasserie style restaurants that mirrors the trend in Paris, with a drift away from sophisticated food to less complicated cooking. So it should come as no surprise that they won the 2009 Good Food Guide's award for 'Best Value Restaurant in the UK'.

Inside there is none of the usual rather dated trappings, which have been replaced by a more chic, clean-cut approach to both décor and furnishings. Olives, bread and pissaladière set the tone for what is to come, with starters of rillettes or a warm Roquefort salad to name but two from a good range. Then choose between light mains such as wild mushroom cassoulet or tuna niçoise, or a meat and fish menu that includes duck confit and roast sea bass fillets with Savoy cabbage and peas in a white wine and cream sauce.

Desserts are a little more traditional, witness a convincing coupe noire or classic crème brûlée. Côte provides a genuine Gallic eating renaissance in elegant surroundings where you can dine with other people who are clearly enjoying the whole experience.

Forget sophisticated settings and haute cuisine, Zonzo Restaurant is more about keeping it stylish and affordable. Work colleagues trotting in at lunchtime, tourists at the hotels nearby wanting a little Italian experience, and busy executives meeting up on business make up most of their clientele in addition to the regular patrons, who love to watch the pizza chef in action.

A look at the menu reveals the kitchen juggling with a great volume of dishes starting with thinly sliced fillet bresaola served on a bed of rocket salad sprinkled with shaved Parmesan cheese or marinated char-grilled calamari with balsamic vinegar. These could be closely followed by a pan cooked 8oz sirloin steak with shallots and porcini mushroom served with special Zonzo gravy, and lightly grilled corn-fed chicken breast covered with bacon, tomato and melted cheese. There's plenty of choice on the dessert list as well, from layered cocoa sponge filled semifreddo style with vanilla cream and chocolate drops, to the lemon flavoured ricotta cheesecake.

The beautiful painted murals showcasing scenes and places in Italy help diners at Zonzo get a touch closer to an authentic Italian experience.

YO! Sushi Whiteleys is a vital gastronomic experience rather than simply a place to eat sushi. This exciting and visually appealing Japanese delicacy, almost a cuisine in itself and going back to the 4th century BC, is fast rising in popularity for reasons of both taste and health, as well as its companionable setting. The restaurants offer a range of delectable nibbles that are attractively presented and revolve on a gently moving belt in front of customers, allowing them to sample a real wealth of varieties and eat just what they like best as often as they wish.

Contrary to many people's perception of sushi as raw fish, it comes in many forms drawing heavily on rice, fish, vegetables and seafood but the great variety arises chiefly from the different fillings and toppings, condiments, and the way these are combined. Often the same ingredients may be assembled in a traditional or a contemporary way, yet creating widely differing tastes.

Some of the most popular types are sashimi rolls, made from raw or seared slices of salmon and tuna and meant to be eaten within a couple of hours of being put together. Other options include cones of seaweed with rice and fillings and the little boat shaped parcels called gunkans. Miso soups, salads and nigiri sushi made of rice with toppings all add to its strong visual appeal.

Great beers like Asahi Super Dry and Sapporo support the food superbly, as well as hot and cold sake for those who want to sustain the Japanese experience. The menu also has non-alcoholic drinks and a limited list of wines and champagne. For dessert try the dorayaki, mochi or settle for fresh fruit.

The experience of having a meal at YO! Sushi is enriched by the unique array that appears as if by magic before the diner, with its unique colour coded pricing system. But the real pull is the fresh, healthy and tasty food that keeps people returning to their outlets across the UK.

Even since they opened their first café over 10 years ago, Baker and Spice has evolved into a place to meet friends, relax and savour their delicious cakes and pastries. With three outlets in Chelsea, Belgravia and Maida Vale, the setting is eclectically elegant but they all share a common desire to consistently serve good food and you can count on the quality of their expertly baked croissants.

Breakfast is served all day with familiar dishes like the classic English that includes a couple of fried organic pullet eggs and sausages, grilled streaky dry cured bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms and baked beans. Assorted breads from the basket are served with Jersey cream butter, homemade seasonal preserves and marmalade, and their extended range of breakfast pastries includes pain au chocolat, almond croissant, blueberry muffins and cinnamon buns.

Cakes are a speciality at Baker and Spice, and so you shouldn't let your gaze fall anywhere else than on their tempting trays of sponge cakes, fruit flans, creamy cheesecakes, brownies and fluffy meringues.